Ethnic armed group seizes control of another town in northern Shan State

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group opposed to Myanmar’s military junta, says it has seized control of the town of Mongmit (Momeik) in northern Shan State. A spokesperson for the group told Myanmar Now that it captured the town on Tuesday morning after overrunning all key military positions in the area. “All of the junta’s bases, including those of Military Operations Command 21, Light Infantry Battalion 348, and Infantry Battalions 223 and 276, have fallen to our forces,” said TNLA spokesperson Lway Yay Oo. Mongmit is part of the Palaung Self-Administered Zone, which is predominantly populated by members of the Palaung, or Ta’ang, ethnic group. The township has a population of more than 67,000 and is bordered by Kachin State’s Bhamo District to the north and Mandalay Region’s Pyin Oo Lwin District to the south. Last week, TNLA-led forces took over the nearby ruby-mining town of Mogok in northern Mandalay Region as part of its renewed offensive against the regime. The TNLA is a member of the Brotherhood Alliance, which has been fighting for control of northern Shan State since late last year. A Chinese-brokered ceasefire that had been in place since January collapsed in late June, resulting in renewed clashes and the capture of a number of key towns from regime forces. Another member of the alliance, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, is currently fighting to take full control of Lashio, the region’s largest city, while clashes have also been reported in Nawnghkio and Kyaukme townships, both captured by the TNLA since the anti-regime offensive resumed on June 25. Namtu Township, east of Mongmit, has been under TNLA control since December of last year.

Ethnic armed group seizes control of another town in northern Shan State

Mongmit (Momeik) is the latest town to fall to the TNLA since anti-regime groups resumed their offensive in late June

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